But now it's time to see how good they really are when the black and gold hit the road for the next two weeks.

Some would say the Chicago Bears are the Saints’ next biggest rivalry behind the Atlanta Falcons, and I won't argue it from just going to the games as a fan.

The word "fan" is where it starts. I've seen Saints and Bears fans fight and argue at games in the Dome. It's just a hate for each other that drives this rivalry.

Since Sean Payton has been the head coach, the Saints are 1-3 against the Bears. Payton's only win against Chicago came in 2011 when he beat them 30-13 in New Orleans. The Saints knocked around Jay Cutler, sacking him six times, and Drew Brees threw for 270 yards and three touchdowns. The other three losses came in the Windy City in three straight seasons with the biggest one coming in a playoff game.

In 2006, the Saints went to Chicago for the NFC Championship and were blown out of the Windy City 39-14 by Rex Grossman and the Bears running attack.

The next time they played was the following season right back at Soldier Field. The Saints were fighting to get into the playoffs, but the Kyle Orton-led Bears beat them 33-25 in the final game of the 2007 season. It was a game where Pierre Thomas had a coming-out party with 105 rushing yards and 121 yards receiving, becoming the first player in Saints history to accomplish that feat.

The trips to Chicago didn't stop there. The Saints returned the next season for a Week 15 battle with playoff implications on the line. The Saints took the Bears to overtime before losing 27-24 on a frigid Thursday night to get knocked out of playoff contention.

The last time the Saints won in Chicago was 2000 when Jim Haslett's team went to Soldier Field and beat the Bears 31-10. Jeff Blake threw for 230 yards and three touchdowns, while Ricky Williams ran for 130 yards and a score. Yes, they did beat the Bears in 2002, but that was played in Champaign because Soldier Field was being renovated.

After a short history lesson, we get back to the current game.

This, in my opinion, will be one of the better ones in this rivalry.

Chicago has gotten to 3-1 because of its potent offense, and I wanna start right there: Bears offense versus Saints defense.

The Bears are putting up close to 32 points per game, and the only other team in the NFL scoring more per contest is Denver. The Saints defense is allowing 14 points per game and hasn't given up more than 17 in any outing.

The Saints have to find a way to frustrate Bears quarterback Jay Cutler just like they did in 2011. The Lions picked him off three times and made him fumble once in Detroit's 40-32 win last week.

I always felt if you can frustrate Cutler, you can beat the Bears. Cutler seems to always lose focus when he's being rattled, allowing teams to just take over games.

He's always had issues with his offensive line in the past but has no reason to complain with Jermon Bushrod, Kyle Long, and Jordan Mills protecting him. Those guys have held him upright so far, allowing Cutler to get sacked only six times.

The Saints have done a good job at getting to the quarterback with 12 sacks, and the sixth-ranked defense in the league will have to find a way to maneuver its way through that line.

Cutler has three good targets in Earl Bennett, Brandon Marshall, and Martellus Bennett, who have seven of Cutler's eight TD receptions. It will be interesting to see how Keenan Lewis, Jabari Greer and the safeties matchup against them.

The Saints defense has forced 10 turnovers, and if Cutler has a bad game, watch out for the flood gates to open up.

I will say that running back Matt Forte may frustrate the Saints defense if they don't contain him. The former Tulane Green Wave player is fifth in the NFL in rushing but hasn't had a 100-yard rushing game this season.

The Saints’ one downfall has been rushing yards allowed. They're ranked 22nd, giving up 112 per game, but through the air, they’re fifth in yards allowing just under 200 yards per contest.

Let’s flip flop things here.

The Bears defense isn't the defense we are all used to seeing.

They're near the bottom of the NFL in passing yards allowed, and that's something you don't wanna hear as a Bears fan with Drew Brees coming to your house.

Brees started off the season a little cool but has warmed up the last two games with close to 800 yards and eight total touchdowns.

For the Bears, they're thinking containing Jimmy Graham will be the key, but that’s not the case with No. 9 using Kenny Stills, Nick Toon, Marques Colston and Darren Sproles as a safety valve.

The two guys Brees must keep an eye on are Charles Tillman and Major Wright, who have a combined seven forced turnovers. Those two guys are a big reason for the Bears being plus-five in the turnover margin department.

All right, back to Jimmy Graham.

Can Tillman and Wright hold down the most dangerous weapon in the game? Four teams have tried and all four failed. Graham is tied with Wes Welker for most TDs in the NFL with six and his 458 receiving yards ranks him second behind Julio Jones.

As for the Saints’ running game, it hasn't worked to this point, and I don't see it getting better any time soon unless the offensive line improves. The good news for the line is the Bears only have six sacks this year, but knowing that Brees has been dropped 12 times they may up those numbers.

I usually don't talk about special teams but feel like I have to with the most prolific returner in the game playing for the Bears. Thomas Morstead must keep the ball away from Devin Hester, because he's one return away from changing the game for the Bears.

My pick to click this week is Marques Colston. I try to go away from the usuals like Brees and Graham unless it’s Monday Night Football. I think the Bears will be so worried about Graham that Colston will have a lot of chances Sunday.

Final prediction: The line in this game is even, so I'm looking at head coaches here. Both Marc Trestman and Sean Payton will go head to head in play calling. Give me Payton in this one. Payton is eventually due to win one in his old stomping grounds. I did say when the season started I would not pick the Saints in every game, but I have to go with them this week. I always pick the hot team until I see something I don't like.